


Sparkplug

by BlackHatKat



Series: Remnant Visitors [3]
Category: Kingdom Hearts, RWBY
Genre: Canon Compliant, all the snark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-28
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-04-13 23:12:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14122908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHatKat/pseuds/BlackHatKat
Summary: The Vytal Festival had been really dull up until now.





	Sparkplug

Free from Cinder's orders for the day, Mercury strolled alone down to the festival grounds in search of something to eat.  He had asked Emerald if she wanted to come along, but she had given him a look like she couldn't wait to be rid of him.  Mind you, he had purposefully been extra annoying to her today because he was totally bored.  So he supposed he wasn't surprised at his partner's desire to have some quiet time but disappointed all the same that he couldn't spend the evening harassing her even more.  
  
Humming, he browsed around at some of the vendors, including the one with the boots he had been inspecting the other day.  So dull.  It all was; the only highlight so far into this sham of a festival being the 'fight' in the preliminary rounds.  Let's just say he was very much looking forward to the doubles round.  
  
As he neared the food booths he suddenly had the sense he was being watched.  He was his father's son, no matter how much he had despised the old man, but he had admittedly taught him well.  Moving quickly, Mercury slipped between several groups of students and around a corner before looking back.  He couldn't see anything out of place and the feeling was now gone.  Frowning, he then headed for his intended destination, the noodle booth run by that weird old man.  
  
Plopping down on one of the stools, he ordered the standard heaping bowl of ramen that this place was known for.  
  
"Ugh, this place is such a drag."  
  
Mercury glanced over as a girl in a long black hooded coat with silver drawstrings sat on the stool right next to him.  She had rather piercing cyan eyes and short blonde hair that was mostly slicked back, save for two long strands that stuck out from the front like a pair of antennae.  An interesting style choice.  She would have been cute, he supposed, if she didn't have such an unpleasant scowl on her face.    
  
"Hey pal, can I get some service?" she demanded, sharply tapping a gloved finger on the countertop.  The shopkeep huffed and came over, grumbling something under his breath before nodding at her and taking the lien she offered.  He motioned at the second bowl he had placed next to Mercury's ongoing order and she nodded back, seemingly satisfied.  
  
"What, your team scrub out in the first round?" Mercury couldn't help but ask.  
  
The girl's eyes flicked over to him.  "Something like that," she replied haughtily.  "What's it to you?"  
  
Mercury shrugged.  "Couldn't help but overhear.  I think this place is kinda boring too."  
  
"Oh?  Where are you from?" she asked.  
  
"Mistral.  Haven Academy," he answered.  
  
She blinked a few times as if she had to think about his response.  "Ah... right.  That place.  Is it nice there?"  
  
Mercury frowned.  His instincts were telling him that something was wrong here, but he wasn't sure just what.  Not yet.  "It's... alright.  I take it you're not from Vale, then?"  
  
The girl turned back to watch the shopkeeper preparing their food at the back of the booth.  "No, I'm not," was all she said.  
  
They made mundane small talk about things like the weather and the Vytal Festival Tournament until the food arrived, after which she completely shut up as she ate her meal in complete silence.  He watched her out of the corner of his eye the entire time but she didn't even spare a look in his direction, focusing only on the food in front of her.  When she was done, she tossed her chopsticks into the bowl and patted her stomach with a small contented sigh.  
  
"Well, see you around," she said to him, hopping off the stool and wandering away without looking back.  He watched her go, the faintest hint of a crackle in the air behind her as she disappeared into the crowd.  What a strange girl.  There was definitely something off about her though.  Every time he tried to get more information about her she'd change the subject, evading his questions with a smirk on his face eerily similar to his own.  
  
He ended up staying late down at the festival grounds; they were shooting off fireworks, and although he didn't want to admit it, it was an impressive display.  It wasn't until he was on his way back to the dorms that he got that feeling again, only this time it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.  The assassin's son then threw himself to the side of the path as a bolt of lightning suddenly struck the ground where he had been standing, leaving a large black scorch mark on the earth.  
  
"What the..."  He righted himself and looked up to see the blonde girl from the noodle booth sitting on a branch in a nearby tree.  Her arms were crossed and she had a rather wicked smile on her face.  
  
"Ooh, you really are good," she taunted, sliding down from her high perch and landing neatly on the ground in her heeled black boots.  
  
Mercury immediately slid into a stance.  "You itching for a fight, Blondie?" he smirked.  
  
The girl laughed and it was more like a cackle, if anything.  "Yeah, show me what you got, Mr. Smirky."  She held up a fist and he saw the points of coloured knives sticking out from between her fingers.  
  
"Bring it on," he replied and she grinned widely before launching herself at him.  
  
Her speed was incredible, but he was able to keep up... barely.  He blocked each of her swipes, and he was taken aback by how much of his aura was being affected by her seemingly light attacks.  Once he figured out her pattern, however, he was able to turn the tables and retaliate with his own style, managing to land several hits with his boots.  She flew backwards after his last kick struck her solidly in the stomach, colliding with the tree she had ambushed him from, knocking the wind out of her.  
  
"Oof."  The girl slowly got to her feet, brushing the bootprint off of the front of her coat.  "Not bad, Mr. Smirky.  Now how about we make this a little more fun?"  Her smirk went from playful to downright cruel, much like the ones Cinder would make most of the time.    
  
The air around him started to grow heavy and he hesitated the moment he felt the wind blowing and heard the crackling.  
  
She couldn't be.  Was she?  If so, what was she doing here?  
  
"Are you--" he began but she didn't let him finish before calling down several more bolts of lightning from the sky.  He dodged each one, all while trying to keep his eyes on the blonde girl.  
  
"Dance for me little boy!" she sang and he realized that she had jumped back up to the tree branch.  
  
He fought the urge to murder her on the spot.  Instead, he tried to calculate the best way to subdue her and bring her to Cinder.  That'd score him some major brownie points with her... and her master.  It was a shame that Emerald wasn't here; two on one would definitely had made this easier, but no matter.  He'd take her down by himself.  
  
Gritting his teeth, Mercury went full speed at her, zigzagging and flipping through both the lightning bolts and the charged-up knives she had started throwing at him.  One of the knives managed to slice through his pant leg, exposing just a small glimpse of the metal underneath.  He shot his bullets from his greaves, aiming primarily not for her, but for the tree she was standing in.  When he finally got close, he made one final leaping spin kick, striking the tree and shattering the weakened trunk, effectively felling it.  
  
He heard the girl shriek from above and he looked up, expecting her and the branch to be falling straight down onto him.  Indeed, the branch landed with a loud crash and a cloud of dirt but the girl was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Hmph, you win this round."  
  
Mercury turned and saw her standing on the ground, leaning against another tree, her entire body still sizzling with lightning.  Hm.  Maybe it was just her semblance after all.  
  
"You wanna go again?" he asked, breathing heavily and giving her a grin.  
  
She giggled, that cruel smirk still on her lips.  "Maybe, but not right now.  I've got places to be, handsome."  She gave him a wink.  
  
"Handsome, eh?  That's a step up from Mr. Smirky.  I've got a name, you know," he replied, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"I know."  The girl fanned her gloved hand in front of her face.  "Mercury, right?"  
  
He wasn't surprised she knew his name.  After all, it had been up on the board during his team's fight in the preliminary round.  
  
"Yeah.  Now how about you tell me yours?  I mean, I can always just call you Blondie--"  He made to step towards her then halted as a mass of black and purple energy suddenly blossomed up from the ground behind her.  He eyed it warily.  What the hell was that?  
  
The girl's eyes lit up as she saw his reaction and regarded him arrogantly.  "I suppose you've been a fun toy."  She nodded her chin at the tear in his pants and the lack of any visible human flesh.  "A little broken, though, hm?"  
  
"You bitch," he growled and she laughed, stepping backwards into the swirling darkness.  
  
"That's Larxene to you."  
  
\---  
  
End


End file.
